Bed assembly

ABSTRACT

A bed assembly ( 10 ) includes a frame ( 22 ) which supports four mattress support panels ( 50 - 56 ) which are able to move with pivoting of the various parts of the frame ( 22 ). The frame ( 22 ) is formed with a plurality of transverse struts ( 40 ) which depend from the frame ( 22 ). The mattress support panels ( 50 - 56 ) are releasably supported on the struts ( 40 ). The panels ( 50 - 56 ) can thus be removed to gain access to the bed components below the platform ( 20 ). The frame ( 22 ) presents substantially vertical side wall to accommodate a variety of mattresses, including mattresses not specifically designed for the bed ( 10 ).

The present invention relates to a bed assembly and to a configurablebed platform or frame.

Modern hospital beds are generally designed to be configurable into avariety of profiles. Typically, they are provided with a plurality ofsections which can be tilted or otherwise moved to change a patient'sposition on the bed. For example, they are usually provided with a backrest section which can pivot from a substantially flat position to araised sitting position, with a thigh rest section which can be pivotedfrom a substantially flat position to a knee raised position, and withleg rest section coupled to the thigh rest section and able to be raisedwith the thigh rest section while keeping the feet in a lower positionor while keeping the feet in a raised position.

Beds having such a configurable platform are well known in the art andgenerally work satisfactorily. However, they often require the use of aspecialised mattress designed specifically for that platform. Thislimits the variety of mattresses to those available from the bedmanufacturer or other specialist supplier and does not allow for a userto select other mattresses not specifically designed for the bed.

Furthermore, bed assemblies of this type are becoming increasinglycomplex, leading to the need to maintain and service an increasingnumber of components. It is often difficult to gain access to thesecomponents, leading to more time consuming and labour intensiveservicing.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved bed assembly andconfigurable platform or frame.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided amattress support platform for a bed assembly including a frame providedwith internal side walls which provide substantially vertical mattressholding side surfaces, a plurality of support elements coupled to theframe for supporting a plurality of mattress support panels anddepending from the frame, and a plurality of hinges on the frameallowing the platform to be configured into a plurality of shapes.

The provision of a frame with substantially vertical mattress holdingside surfaces can in practice allow any mattress of complementarydimensions to be supported in the frame, even a mattress which does notfit precisely into the internal space of the frame. Moreover, it is notnecessary to use a mattress with particular structural features, as isthe case with a number of existing hospital beds. Thus, virtually anymattress could be used, dependent upon the needs of the patient and thewishes of the user. This can be particularly important when it is deemeda patient would benefit from a particular mattress type not supplied bythe bed supplier.

The frame preferably provides substantially vertical mattress holdingside surfaces around the entire of a mattress reception area of the bed.

The hinges are preferably of a type which have a profile whichsubstantially matches the profile of the remainder of the framestructure, thereby to present a substantially smooth frame, notrequiring particular coverings or other measures to protect the patientand staff from sharp profiles and to cover possible areas which cancollect dirt and germs.

The frame is preferably formed of struts which have a roundedrectangular outer shape in transverse cross-section. Such a shapeprovides substantially vertical side walls while still retaining asmooth profile. Other shapes could be used, such as a D-shape, in whichthe straight portion of the D-shape is located on the inside surfaces ofthe frame. It is also possible to use struts which are circular or ovalin cross-section because these would still provide vertical mattresssupport surfaces but such shapes are not preferred.

The holding elements are preferably a plurality of transverse strutsextending transversally between two opposing side struts of the frameand depending therefrom. Holding elements of this type provide, when themattress support panels are removed, a substantially unimpeded path tothe components of the bed assembly below the platform, which canconsiderably facilitate servicing of these components as described, forexample, in the applicant's co-pending British patent applications filedthe same day as the present application.

In the preferred embodiment, the frame is extendable. Advantageously,this is achieved by providing at one end of the frame, usefully the footend, a telescopic arrangement of extension struts which slide within theframe struts at that end of the frame.

The hinges and depending support elements provide a pivoting arrangementwhich can increase a separation between adjacent mattress supportelements and thus panels when one of the sections is pivoted upwardly,having the effect of lengthening the mattress support area to followbetter the stretching of a patient's back during such action. They canalso provide for a shortening of a separation between adjacent mattresssupport elements and thus panels when one of the sections is pivoteddownwardly. These features Are described in detail in the followingdescription and covered in the applicant's co-pending British patentapplication number 0523168.3 filed the same day as the presentapplication.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda mattress support platform for a bed assembly including a frame and aplurality of transverse support struts coupled to the frame for holdinga plurality of mattress support panels and depending from the frame, anda plurality of hinges on the frame for allowing the frame to beconfigured into a plurality of shapes.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda bed assembly including a platform as specified herein.

Embodiments of the present invention are disclosed below, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a left-side perspective view from above of a preferredembodiment of a bed assembly in a flat configuration;

FIG. 2 shows a right-side perspective view from above of the bedassembly of FIG. 1 in a chair configuration;

FIG. 3 shows the bed assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2 in the chairconfiguration with the mattress support panels and patient supportpanels removed;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a part of the bed assembly of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5A and 5B shows a bed extension mechanism in extended andnon-extended positions;

FIG. 6 shows in plan view and in schematic form two mattress supportsections of the bed of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the bed assembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of the plan view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a portion of the plan view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 shows a side elevational view of the mattress support panelsonly of the bed assembly of FIG. 1, with the bed in a chairconfiguration;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a part of the bed assembly of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 12 shows a keypad zone of the bed of FIG. 1 in use by a patient.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a preferred embodiment of bedassembly 10 which includes a wheeled base 12 provided with four castors14, a headboard 16 and footboard 18. Coupled to the base 12 is a bedplatform 20 which can be raised and lowered relative to the base 12 andtilted by means of one or more electrical actuators (not shown), also ofconventional type.

The platform 20 is provided with a frame 22 formed, in this embodiment,of four frame sections 24, 26, 28 and 30 which are coupled to oneanother by means of hinged joints 32, 34 and 36. The frame 22 istypically made of metal or a metal alloy.

Each frame section 24-30 is provided with an upper frame member havingsubstantially vertical inner side walls 38 (better seen in FIGS. 2 and3) and a plurality of depending transverse struts 40 (better seen inFIGS. 3 and 4) which form a recessed support surface for supporting, inthis embodiment, four mattress support panels 50, 52, 54 and 56. Thesepanels 50-56, together with the pivoting frame members 24-30, formrespectively the backrest section, seat section, thigh rest section andleg rest section typically found in conformable beds of this nature.

The hinges 32, 34 and 36 are provided in the upper frame members 24-30and enable the frame members to pivot relative to one another about thehinges 32-36, as will be apparent from a consideration of FIGS. 2, 3 and7 to 9, and described in detail below. It can be seen that the hinges32-36 are built into the upper frame members 24-30 and presentsubstantially smooth outer surfaces in order to prevent any discomfortor injury to the patient or care staff.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the mattress support panels 50-56 are curvedso as to present a concave upper surface when looking down on the bedplatform 20. The panels 50-56 lie below the frame walls 38, preferablyby a distance sufficient to allow a mattress placed on the panels 50-56to fit within the frame 22 so as to be held by the substantiallyvertical side surfaces provided by the walls 38 of the frame 22. Thatdistance is preferably less than this so that the upper surface of themattress extends above the frame 22, to hold the patient comfortablyabove the hard surfaces of the frame 22 (as shown in FIG. 11).

At least some of the mattress support panels 50-56 are preferablyremovable and advantageously made of blow mouldings from any suitableplastics material. The panels 50-56 are rigid.

Cut-outs 60 in the panels 50-56 provide handles for easy removal of thepanels 50-56 from the bed 10 and for their handling. There arepreferably also provided snap fittings 55 (some of which are visible inFIG. 10) on the underside surfaces of the panels 50-56 which snap ontothe transverse struts 40 to retain the panels in place. In the preferredembodiment, each snap fitting is formed from one or more bossesextending beyond the lower surfaces of the panels 50-56, the bosseshaving curved surfaces which form a snap fit gripper member which snapson to the struts 40.

FIG. 1 also shows two patient retention panels 80, 82. Typically,corresponding retention panels are provided on the other side of the bedassembly 10 but are omitted from FIG. 1 for the purposes of clarity.These panels, which can be of a type known in the art, can be movedbetween the raised position shown and a lowered position in which theylie alongside the frame 22 so as to be below the level of the mattressof the bed. In the raised position the panels 80, 82 retain a patient onthe bed, while in the lowered position they enable a patient to get offand get onto the bed and also provide unimpeded access to the patient.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the bed assembly of FIG. 1 is shown in a chairconfiguration. In this configuration the back rest 30, 50 is raised bypivoting of the hinge 32 between the back rest section 30 and the seatsection 28. In the configuration shown the hinge point 36 between thethigh rest 54 and the leg rest 56 is also raised. This raisedconfiguration of the hinge 36 represents a knee break such that in theconfiguration shown in FIG. 2 a patient would be sitting up with kneesraised.

The various sections 24-30 of the frame 22 can be moved in the mannershown by means of one or more actuators provided in the bed assembly 10.The actuators are well known in the art, as is the type of controlsystem used to control them, so they will not be described in furtherdetail herein.

The bed sections 24-30 and actuators allow the bed to be reconfiguredfrom the lying position shown in FIG. 1 to a sitting position as shownin FIG. 2 and also into many other configurations, including, forexample one in which the knee break at hinge 36 is raised and the legrest section 24 also raised upwardly to keep a patient's legssubstantially horizontal. For this latter configuration, there isprovided an actuator which is coupled to the leg rest section 24 toeffect such movement. This actuator arrangement is well known in the artso is not described in further detail herein.

FIG. 2 also shows a sub-frame 42 which supports the platform 20,typically by being attached to the seat section 28 and also to theactuators and to a control unit. The sub-frame 42 also supports thestruts 44 which raise and lower the sub-frame 42 and hence the platform20 relative to the base 12. This sub-frame is the subject of theapplicant's co-pending British patent application number 0523174.1 filedthe same day as the present application and does not need to bedescribed in further detail herein.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a perspective view of the bedassembly 10 of FIG. 2 but which omits for the purposes of clarity themattress support panels 50-56, the head board 16, the foot board 18, thepatient retention panels 80, 82 and a number of other components shownin FIG. 2.

The transverse struts 40 which depend from the frame 22 are clearlyvisible in this Figure. They are provided in number and in locationwhere support is needed for the mattress support panels 50-56 and whichallow good access to the bed components underlying the platform 20, aswill be more apparent from a consideration of FIG. 4. In thisembodiment, there are provided three transverse struts 40 in the backrest section 30, in light of the greater weight supported by thissection of the bed, and two struts 40 in each of the other sections24-28. Of course, it is possible to provide just two struts in thesection 30 if these are made sufficiently strong.

The back rest section 30, the thigh rest section 26 and the leg restsection 24 are also provided with longitudinally extending strengtheningstruts 41 between two adjacent transverse struts 40.

It is preferred that the transverse struts 40 are generally rectangularin cross-section as this provides a secure coupling with the snapfasteners provided on the underside of the mattress support panels50-56.

FIG. 3 also shows two of the actuators 43 used for moving the framesections 24-30. As can be seen, these are secured to the sub-frame 42.

Referring now to FIG. 4, this shows the bed features of FIG. 3 in planview with the frame 20 in a flat configuration. It can be seen that theprovision of readily removable mattress support panels 50-56 and ofsupport struts 40, 41, rather than a solid non-removable flat base,provides good access to the components of the bed 10 underlying theframe 22. In this case, the actuators 43 are readily visible andaccessible from above the bed 10 through the frame 22, as well as othercomponents such as the control unit (not visible) typically provided insuch bed assemblies. This enables servicing of these components fromabove the bed, that is without having to turn the bed onto its side orupside down.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show a detail of the foot section 24 of the frame 22,with its mattress support panel 56 fitted. The end of the foot section24 is extendable. This is achieved by providing the end strut 110 withfirst and second parallel rods or tubes 112, 114 either side thereof.These rods have a transverse shape which corresponds to the internalshape of the struts 116, 118 forming the foot rest section 24, so as tobe slidable therein as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. As will be apparentfrom FIG. 5A, when the foot rest section 24 is in its extendedcondition, the rods 112, 114 continue the side wall of the frame 22,thereby retaining the side support surfaces complete around the whole ofthe frame 22.

First and second latches or locks 120 are provided for locking each rod112 in either the retracted or in the extended positions. The latches120 could simply be sprung pins fitting into appropriate apertures orbores in the rods 112, 114 or could be screw locks which tighten againstthe rods 112. The type of latch or lock is not important.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown in plan view in schematic formthe arrangement of the mattress support panels 50, 52 of the bed ofFIGS. 1 and 2. The support panel 50, which forms the back rest sectionof the bed 10, includes a first end wall 62 and an opposing end wall 64.The mattress support panel 52, which forms the seat portion of the bed10, includes a first end wall 66 and a second end wall 68. The walls 62and 66 are adjacent one another, as shown in FIG. 6.

When the bed is in a flat position, depicted by the solid lines in FIG.3 and as shown in FIG. 1, the spacing between the two panels 50, 52 isshown as distance d, which can be any suitable distance which will notadversely affect the support of a patient on a mattress laid over thepanels 50-56. The distance d will typically be a few centimetres, oftenaround 10 cm or so.

On the other hand, when the support panel 50 is pivoted to a raisedpatient sitting position as shown in FIG. 2, the distance between theend walls 62, 66 of the panels 50, 52 respectively increases to thedistance D shown in FIG. 6. It can be seen that distance D isconsiderably larger than the distance d when the two panels are lyingflat.

There are two primary factors which cause the increase in the distancebetween the two end walls 62, 66. The first is the curvature of thepanels 50, 52 and the fact that the pivoting point is at the sides ofthe panel. The centre of the panels 50, 52 are substantially below thesides, thereby causing this increase in distance during the pivotingmotion. The second factor is that the pivot 32 is raised above even thehighest points of the panels 50, 52 (that is above their raised sides)which causes additional movement away from the panel 52 including at theends 70.

This increase in spacing is advantageous because when a person movesfrom a lying position to a sitting position the person stretches at thepoint of bending (that is between the patient's back and lower thighs).Thus, this arrangement follows the extension of the person and thereforemakes it much more comfortable to a patient. Prior art beds, which havethe pivot points substantially at the level of the mattress supportsections and which have mattress support sections which aresubstantially flat, do not benefit from this increase in spacing betweenthe sections and therefore from any increase in the effective length ofthe mattress support base. They can provide a pinching effect on thepatient.

The reader will appreciate that the two factors mentioned above could beprovided independently of one another, although with reduced lengtheningeffect.

FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the bed of FIG. 1 in the chairconfiguration, while FIG. 8 shows an enlarged view of the head end ofthe bed of FIG. 7. A comparison of FIG. 1 with FIGS. 7 and 8 shows theincrease in spacing between the edges 62, 66 of the panels 50, 52 fromthe lying to the seating positions.

There is an other advantageous feature of this structure of the platform20, this being at the thigh section 54. As can be seen in FIG. 1, thespacing, D′, between the thigh rest panel 54 and the leg rest panel 56is relatively large when the platform 20 is in the flat configuration.However, when the hinge 36 is raised to form the knee break, thisspacing is reduced substantially, to d′ as shown in FIG. 9. Thisreduction in spacing causes the lower surface of the mattress tocompress longitudinally as a result of a shortening in the overalllength of the portions 54, 56 of the mattress support. This enables themattress to maintain contact with the rear of a patient's knee. It hasbeen found that if there is no such compression of the mattresslongitudinally, as would be the case if the spacing between the thighand leg rest sections 54, 56 were to remain the same, the mattressbecomes stretched over the knee break and can lose contact with the rearof a patient's knees, thereby losing the supporting effect it shouldprovide.

FIG. 10 shows the mattress support panels 50-56 in the chairconfiguration of the bed. The spacings between the panels in thisconfiguration can be clearly seen. There is, however, another featureevident in FIG. 10, related to the movement of the thigh rest section54. As can be seen in FIG. 10, with the thigh rest section pivotedupwardly as shown, the rear edge 111 of the thigh rest 54 is higher thanthe front edge 113 of the seat section. This is caused by the fact thatthe rear edge 111 is longitudinally spaced from the hinge 34, along thelength of the bed. As a result of this, pivoting of the frame section 28about the hinge 34 will cause the panel 54 not only to pivot but also torise relative to its rest position. This rising of the thigh rest panel54 provides better support to the underside of a patient's thigh than doexisting configurable bed assemblies.

Referring now to FIG. 11, the bed 10 is shown in the lyingconfiguration, in order better to see the patient retention panels 80,82 for retaining the patient on the bed. The panels 80, 82 are typicallymade from a plastics material or from metal covered with a plasticscladding.

The patient retention panel 80 is coupled to the frame member 30 formingthe back rest section of the bed 10 and is able to move therewith, aswill be apparent in particular from FIG. 2. The patient retention panel82 is coupled to the seat section 28 of the frame 22 and in practicedoes not move as the seat section 28, in this embodiment, is the onestationary member of the frame 22 (although it does, of course, movewith the frame 22 as this is raised, lowered and tilted).

As is best appreciated from FIG. 2, when the back rest section 30, 50 ispivoted upwardly towards a patient sitting position, the patientretention panel 80 will move over the retention panel 82. For thispurpose, the panel 80 includes a concave facing surface 92 which faces aconvex surface 94 of the retention panel 82. As the panel 80 movesupwardly and around the panel 82, the surface 92 slides over the surface94 retaining substantially the same gap g between the two surfaces 92and 94. As a result of this, the combination of the two panels 80, 82provides a substantially continuous support surface throughout themovement of the retention panel 80, without creating between the twopanels any constriction which could trap part of a patient's body orthat of hospital staff.

As shown in particular in FIGS. 11 and 12, there can be seen inschematic form an example of a preferred embodiment of unit 100 forsupporting a keypad (not shown) which allows the patient to operate thevarious functions of the bed 10.

In this embodiment, the keypad unit 100 is provided with a protrudingmember 102 which extends beyond the general outer perimeter of thepatient support panel 80 and in a direction towards the foot end of thebed 10. The unit 100 is fifted to the patient retention panel 80 so asto move with that panel upon movement of the back rest section 30, 50,in such a manner that it maintains its position relative to the backrestsection 30, 50 and hence relative to a patient lying on the bed 10. Theunit 100 is located so as to be easily accessible by a patient on thebed by means of the patient's hand at that side of the bed, as shown inparticular in FIG. 6. The position of the unit 100 could be described asbeing approximately at the shoulder area of a patient lying or sittingon the bed 10.

As can also be seen in FIG. 12, the shape and structure of the unit 10is such that a patient is able to place his/her fingers on the outerside of the unit 100 and then to operate a keypad (not shown) on theinner/patient side of the unit 100. The patient is therefore able toapply an opposing pressure at the rear side of the unit 100 to thepressure applied when pressing the buttons of the key pad, which inpractice stabilises the unit 100. This feature contrasts with theexisting keypads provided on the patient support panels, which tend tobe difficult to operate because the panels generally have someflexibility to them.

The keypad which would be provided in the unit 100 is of a typeequivalent to the keypads already used in such beds and therefore is notdescribed in any further detail herein.

Referring in particular to FIG. 11, it is preferred that the unit 100 isfitted to the patient support panel 80 by first and second flanges 104,106 which can be secured to the panel 80 either by suitable snap fitconnections and/or by one or more screws. Within the unit 100 there isprovided a plug or socket which fits to a complimentary socket/plug tomake the necessary electrical connections between the keypad of the unit100 and the control system of the bed 10.

The preferred structure of the keypad unit 100 facilitates the assemblyof the unit 100 to the bed 10 and also enables its easy replacement incase the keypad is in some way damaged during use or shipping.

1. A mattress support platform for a bed assembly including a frameprovided with internal side walls which provide substantially verticalmattress holding side surfaces, a plurality of support elements coupledto the frame for supporting a plurality of mattress support panels anddepending from the frame, and a plurality of hinges on the frameallowing the platform to be configured into a plurality of shapes.
 2. Amattress support platform according to claim 1, wherein the frameprovides substantially vertical mattress holding side surfaces aroundthe entirety of a mattress reception area of the bed.
 3. A mattresssupport platform according to claim 1, wherein the hinges have a profilewhich substantially matches the profile of the remainder of the framestructure.
 4. A mattress support platform according to claim 1, whereinthe frame is formed of struts which have a rounded rectangular outershape in transverse cross-section.
 5. A mattress support platformaccording to claim 1, wherein the support elements are a pluralityoftransverse struts extending transversally between two opposing sidestruts of the frame and depending therefrom.
 6. A mattress supportplatform according to claim 1, wherein the frame is extendable.
 7. Amattress support platform according to claim 6, wherein there isprovided at one end of the frame a telescopic arrangement of extensionstruts which slide within corresponding frame struts.
 8. A mattresssupport platform according to claim 1, wherein the hinges and dependingsupport elements provide a pivoting arrangement which can increase aseparation between adjacent mattress support elements, and thus anypanels supported thereon, when one of the sections is pivoted upwardly.9. A mattress support platform according to claim 1, wherein the hingesand depending support elements provide a pivoting arrangement which canreduce a separation between adjacent mattress support elements, and thusany panels supported thereon, when one of the sections is pivoteddownwardly.
 10. A mattress support platform for a bed assembly includinga frame and a plurality of transverse support struts coupled to theframe for holding a plurality of mattress support panels and dependingfrom the frame, and a plurality ofhinges on the frame for allowing theframe to be configured into a plurality of shapes.
 11. A mattresssupport platform according to claim 10, wherein the frame providessubstantially vertical mattress holding side surfaces around the entireof a mattress reception area of the bed.
 12. A mattress support platformaccording to claim 10, wherein the hinges have a profile whichsubstantially matches the profile ofthe remainder ofthe frame structure13. A mattress support platform according to claim 10, wherein thestruts have a rounded rectangular outer shape in transversecross-section.
 14. A mattress support platform according to claim 10,wherein the frame is extendable.
 15. A mattress support platformaccording to claim 14, wherein there is provided at one end ofthe framea telescopic arrangement of extension struts which slide withincorresponding frame struts.
 16. (canceled)
 17. A mattress supportplatform for a bed assembly, the mattress support platform including aframe having: a. two or more frame sections, each frame sectionincluding: (1) opposing side walls extending lengthwise across the bedassembly, (2) one or more struts extending between the side walls acrossthe width ofthe bed assembly, wherein at least a substantial portionofthe top surface of each strut is situated below the top of the sidewalls, whereby the side walls define mattress-holding side surfaces fora mattress resting on the struts; b. hinges situated between the sidewalls ofthe frame sections, the hinges allowing pivoting of the framesections about axes extending across the width of the bed assembly. 18.The mattress support platform of claim 17 wherein the hinges aresituated above the top surfaces of the struts.
 19. The mattress supportplatform of claim 17 further including two or more support panels, eachsupport panel: a. being received within one of the frame sections; b.having a lower support panel surface resting atop the top surfaces ofthe struts within the frame section; and c. having an upper supportpanel surface which is concavely depressed across the width of the bedassembly.
 20. The mattress support platform of claim 17 furtherincluding two or more support panels, each support panel: a. beingreceived within one of the frame sections; b. having a lower supportpanel surface resting atop the struts within the frame section; c.having an upper support panel surface situated below the top of thesidewalls ofthe frame section wherein the support panel is received. 21.The mattress support platform of claim 17 further including two or moresupport panels, each support panel: a. being received within one of theframe sections; b. having a lower support panel surface bearing one ormore depressions therein, wherein the struts within the frame sectionreceiving the support panel are received within the depressions.
 22. Themattress support platform of claim 17 further including two or moresupport panels, each support panel: a. being received within one of theframe sections; b. having a lower support panel surface which removablysnap-fits onto the struts within the frame section.
 23. The mattresssupport platform of claim 17 wherein: a. the frame sections include: (1)a back rest section, (2) a seat rest section adjacent the back restsection, (3) a thigh rest section adjacent the seat rest section, and(4) a leg rest section adjacent the seat rest section; b. each sectionincludes a support panel received therein, the panel including a lowersupport panel surface fixed against translation atop the struts withinthe frame section, wherein the panels of the sections are bounded bypanel edges; wherein: (1) when the back rest section is pivoted withrespect to the seat rest section from: (a) an orientation wherein thepanel ofthe back rest section is at least substantially parallel to thepanel of the seat rest section, to (b) an orientation wherein the panelofthe back rest section is inclined upwardly with respect to the panelof the seat rest section, the spacing between the panel edges ofthepanel ofthe back rest section and the panel of the seat rest sectionincreases; and (2) when the leg rest section is pivoted with respect tothe thigh rest section from: (a) an orientation wherein the panel of theleg rest section is at least substantially parallel to the panel of thethigh rest section, to (b) an orientation wherein the panel ofthe legrest section is inclined downwardly with respect to the panel of thethigh rest section, the spacing between the panel edges ofthe panel ofthe leg rest section and the panel of the thigh rest section decreases.24. The mattress support platform of claim 17 wherein: a. the framesections include: (1) a back rest section, (2) a seat rest sectionadjacent the back rest section, and (3) a thigh rest section adjacentthe seat rest section, b. each section includes a support panel receivedtherein, the panel including a lower support panel surface situated atopthe struts within the frame section, wherein the panels ofthe sectionsare bounded by panel edges; wherein: (1) the panel edge ofthe seat restsection situated closest to the thigh rest section is convexly contouredtoward the thigh rest section across the width of the bed assembly; (2)the panel edge ofthe thigh rest section situated closest to the seatrest section is concavely contoured away from the seat rest sectionacross the width of the bed assembly.
 25. The mattress support platformof claim 17 wherein: a. the frame sections include: (1) a back restsection, (2) a seat rest section adjacent the back rest section, and (3)a thigh rest section adjacent the seat rest section, b. each sectionincludes a support panel received therein, the panel being situatedabove the struts within the frame section, wherein the panels of thesections are bounded by panel edges; wherein the panel edge of the thighrest section between the thigh rest section and the seat rest section isspaced along the length ofthe bed assembly away from the hinges situatedbetween the side walls of the thigh rest section and the seat restsection.
 26. The mattress support platform of claim 17 wherein one ormore ofthe frame sections has opposing side walls which are extensible,whereby the length of the frame section may be increased.